Apparatus for removing soot from steam boilers



Dec. 2 927. A 1,653,503

N. E. MCCLELLAND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING- SOQT FROM STEAM BOILERS Filed April 10. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l allo 5A Dec. 20, 1927.

N. E. M CLELLAND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOOT FROM STEAM BOILERS Filed April 10. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ.

Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,503

N. E. MOCLELLAND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOOT FROM STEAM BOILERS Filed April 10. 1924 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

H it? NORMAN EIMILE MOCLELLAND, 0F LOIIDGN, ENGLAND.

Application filed April 10, 1924, Serial No.

"his invention relates to apparatus for retrieving soot from the smoke box and fire tubes of boilers, particularly Scotch boilers and others of similar type. of the kind in which steam pipes rotatably mounted within the smoke her: have branches provided with nozzles which. by the rotation of the steam pipes, can be swung through 180- so as to be directed iugwardly or downwardly or inwardlv towards the ends of the boiler tubes. I

The present invention consists of an im proved construction of apparatus of this class for dealing with the removal of soot from the smoke boa; of boilers having three or more furnaces, the central furnace or furnaces being at a lower level than the wing furnaces.

In this improved construction, to obviate certain diiliculties and inconveniences inseparable from the application of known apparatus to the removal of soot in such boilers. particularly when forced draught is used, the steam supply pipe and nozzle branch or branches operating in the central dropped part of the smoke box are fitted entirely within the smoke box, the swivelling -pipe or pipes carrying the lower nozzle branches being geared with the swivelling pipe or pipes of the upper unit, so that onlythe swivelling pipe of the upper unit and its steam connection need extend through the air ducts to the outside of the boiler shell. Even such lateral extensions of the swivelling pipe 01" the upper unitmaybe obviated by bringing the steam supply connection through the top of the smoke box and operating the upper swivelling pipe through the smoke box door by any suitable mechanism. In any case the swivelling joints connecting the fixed and rotating parts of the steam supply pipes for both units are within the smoke box and the nozzles ofboth units are swung simultaneously by means of a single lever.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an end elevation, with smoke box removed, of a steam boiler provided with the improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the preferred form of gearing showing the blower pipes in different positions; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the preferred con- .7'G5,606, and inGreat Britain April 13, 1923.

struction of swivel joint or pipe coupling, and Figs. 5 and 5 are elevations, partly in section, showing the application of the swivel joint to a T-bend and a straight pipe, respectively.

in the apparatus shown in the drawings the steam is supplied to the blower jets through a pipe A controlled by valve A to a tired pipe l3 connected by a swivelling joint C with the supply pipe D, which extends across the upper part of the smoke box E. T he jet supply pipe is closed at its further end and coupled with a spindle F which is suitably journalled in bearings in the wal's of the air duct and extends outside the smoke box. A crank arm G on the protrudii f end of the spindle is operable by means of a rod G to rotate the jet supply pipe D. I

- ,A branch pipe H from the fixed'pipe B leads to a second swivelling joint I which connects it with a second jet supply pipe J extending transversely across the central dropped part of the smoke box. i The farther end. 0t pipe J is closed and supported in a suitable bearing or journal secured to the wall of the smoke box.

The pipe 1 is rotated simultaneously with the pipe D and by the same lever through chain gearing comprising two pairs of drums K. K, the drums of each pair being connected by a chain L preferably adjustable in length, as by means of a turnbuckle L. the two chains being relatively crossed with respect to the drums to wind thereon in opposite direction. so that for either di rection of rotation of pipe D one or other of the chains will be in tension.

The nozzle pipes M are carried by T- branches M from the upper and lower jet supply pipes I) and J respectively, the nozzles N of the upper nozzle pipes projecting upwards, while those of the lower nozzle pipes project downwards in the position of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. This is the normal position of the apparatus. The other positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. are positions which can be assumed by the jet pipes in operation. In one of these positions the jets of the upper series of pipes are directed downwards, while the jets of the lower series are directed upwards, and in the intermediate position all the jets are directed towards the smoke box ends of the fire tubes. In the two wing sections of the furnace the jet pipes are shown as provided with supplementary nozzles N at a dif ferent level from the nozzles N, but turned in the same direction.

It will be seen that in this construction only the steam connection of the upper jet supply pipe and the operating spindle therefor extend across the air ducts of the furnace, the fixed steam supply pipe for the lower jet pipe and the latter being enclosed entirely within the smoke box. The air ducts may, however, be left entirely free by an alternative arrangement in which the steam supply pipe B is led through the top of the smoke box, as inclicated in Fig. 2 the steam pipe D being operated through the smoke box door by any suitable mechanism.

The preferred form of swivelling joint is illustrated in Figs. 5, 5 and 5 which show the joint as applied to an L-bend, a T-bend and a straight pipe respectively. In every case the rotatable pipe, for example D, has a steel ring 0 screwed on its end and a ring P of brass or other suitable alloy of metal abutting against the inner side of this steel ring and loosely encircling the steam pipe. This'ring forms the end of the packing annulus of a stuffing box Q; the gland R of which is adjustably secured in the usual way to a flanged ring S integral with the fixed pipe or bend. 7

Having thus described the nature of the saidinvention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1.111 a steam generator having a plurality of furnaces of which a central furnace is at a lower level than the wing furnaces, an apparatus for removing soot from the smoke box and fire tubes of the furnaces comprising an upper rotatable jet supply pipe and normally upwardly directed nozzle branches leading therefrom, a lower rotatable jet supply pipe and normally downwardly directed nozzle branches leading therefrom and entirely enclosed within the smokebox, and means for simultaneously rotating; the two jet supply pipes in opposite directions.

2. In a steam generator having a plurality of furnaces of which a central furnace is at a lower level than the wing furnaces, an apparatus for removing soot from the smokebox and fire tubes of the furnaces comprising an upper rotatable jet supply attached to and connecting one of said drums on the upper jet supply pipe with a drum on the lower jet supply pipe, and a second chain connecting the other pair of drums and adapted to wind around the latter drums in the opposite direction to the first chain. 3. In a steam generator having a plurality of furnaces of which a central furnace is at a lower level than the wing furnaces, an apparatus for removing soot from the smokebox and fire tubes of the furnaces comprising an upper and a lower rotatable jet supply pipe, nozzle branches connected therewith and operating respectively in the upper parts of the sniokebox and in the centrally dropped parts of the smokebox, and means for rotating the jet supply pipes in opposite directions to swing the upper nozzle branches downwardly and simultaneously the lower nozzle branches upwardly and conversely.

i. In a steam generator having a plurality of furnaces of which a central furnace is at a lower level than the wing furnaces, an apparatus for removing soot from the smokebox and fire tubes of the furnaces comprising a fixed steam supply pipe projecting through the s mokebox wall, an up per rotatable jet supply pipe contained entirely within the sinokebox and connected with said fixed steam suply pipe, aseries of nozzle branches leading from said upper jet supply pipe, a lower rotatable jet supply pipeand a fixed steam supply branch leading therefrom to the aforesaid fixed steam supply pipe and contained entirely within the smokebox, and a driving connection between the two rotatable jet supply pipes to rotate them simultaneously in opposite. directions from the definite relative positions in which the upper series of nozzles are upwardly "directed and the lower nozzles are downwardly directed and conversely.

In testimony whereof name to this specification.

NORMAN EMILE MOCLELLA'ND.

I have signed my 

